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Georgia Tech's Javaris Crittenton (1) tries to strip Maryland's Greivis Vasquez |
COLLEGE PARK, Md.--College teams love to promote their seniors. Maryland has splashed photos of its three starting fourth-year players (forward Ekene Ibekwe and guards Mike Jones and D.J. Strawberry) on the cover of its basketball media guide.
There's a fourth player there, along with coach Gary Williams. That's appropriate, because it may turn out that as James Gist goes, so go the Terrapins.
Gist is a splendidly gifted junior forward who has almost perfectly embodied the Terps' plight since he arrived: plenty of potential, flashes of brilliance--and confounding inconsistency.
In the first half of last night's home game against Georgia Tech, Gist was nearly unstoppable. He went 6-for-6 from the field and scored 16 points--just two short of his career high--as the Terps surged to a 43-26 lead over the overmatched Yellow Jackets.
But he picked up his third foul just 39 seconds into the second half and had to watch from the bench for nine minutes as Maryland sweated out a harder-than-it-had-to-be 80-65 victory. Gist totaled 26 points.
The result won't exactly sway the NCAA tournament selection committee.
After all, Georgia Tech has now lost 16 straight road games and 13 in a row on the home courts of Atlantic Coast Conference opponents. So for Maryland, last night's victory wasn't so much impressive as desperately necessary.
Despite a 16-5 record and an impressive No. 36 RPI ranking, Maryland was the final team included in ESPN's projected NCAA bracket published yesterday. Their modest records in ACC play (2-4) and on the road (1-3) are factors that must be improved if they hope to snap their two-year tournament drought.
Like his team, Gist was having a nice (but hardly noteworthy) season before last night. He arrived at Maryland 21/2 years ago from Silver Spring's Good Counsel High School with Joe Smith-like athleticism and potential. But he has played more like Travis Garrison. Before last night, he had scored in double figures in 15 of 20 games, but never more than 17 in any game.
Last night, Gist's tantalizing gifts were on full display during the first half. On consecutive possessions, he sank a 3-pointer that was as close to a set shot as you'll see, then soared through the lane to dunk over Tech's De'Andre Bell while drawing a foul. He finished the decisive first half with 16 points on 6-for-6 shooting.
But he became a spectator for more than nine minutes, during which time the youthful Yellow Jackets made things interesting. They made just one of their first nine free throws and never really threatened to break their ACC road skid (which now covers parts of three seasons).
But they had crept within 12 points when Gist returned with 10 minutes left. He quickly hit his first two shots to surpass his previous career high of 18.
The Terps have plenty of solid role players. Strawberry, freed from last year's disastrous experiment at point guard, is free to wreak defensive havoc. Jones is as pure and streaky a jump shooter as the ACC has to offer, and Ibekwe has developed into a solid defensive post player who can score a little.
But Gist is the ingredient who can transform the Terps from good into dangerous. He's an explosive leaper who ranks third in the ACC in blocked shots, and he's cultivating a bit of shooting range.
The next step for Gist--and the Terps--is consistency. It's one thing to dominate an inexperienced opponent on your home court. It'll be quite another if Maryland can salvage winnable road games at Florida State and Wake Forest in the next nine days and bolster their tournament resume.
To do so, they'll need more production like last night's effort from Gist, who may be the necessary ingredient to get them back to the tournament.
Williams seems to be trying everything with his inconsistent team. He went so far as to publicly praise his players after Sunday night's 67-64 overtime loss at Virginia Tech.
For years, Williams raved at his charges rather than about them--and usually got the desired results: 11 straight NCAA tournament appearances, two Final Fours, an expected national title in 2002 and a stunning ACC tournament title in 2004. But after a two-year NCAA exile, he's had to rethink his psychology.
Is this a kinder, gentler Williams? There may be no such thing. Williams was as feisty and animated as ever during his team's sometimes-sloppy performance. But if he has to motivate his players with honey rather than vinegar, he seems willing to try.
Here's something that would make Williams (or any coach) better: consistent performances from Gist. Last night may have been a step in the right direction.
To reach STEVE DeSHAZO:
Email: sdeshazo@freelancestar.com
